Fine Gael's new front bench.

[aodh_rua]

I can't see KK's reply - so here's the front bench (apologies if it's a reprint)

Finance & Deputy Leader Richard Bruton
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Michael Creed
Art, Sport and Tourism Olivia Mitchell
Children Alan Shatter
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Simon Coveney
Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Michael Ring
Defence Jimmy Deenihan
Education and Science Brian Hayes
Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar
Environment, Heritage and Local Govt. Phil Hogan
Foreign Affairs Billy Timmins
Health James Reilly
Immigration and Integration Denis Naughten
Justice, Equality and Law Reform Charlie Flanagan
Social and Family Affairs Olwyn Enright
Transport and the Marine Fergus O’Dowd
Chief Whip Paul Kehoe
Leader in the Seanad Frances Fitzgerald

Big move up for Leo, disappointing demotion it seems for Olivia to a lower portfolio and great news for Billy Timmins.

Interesting move for Hogan too - looks like he's being set up to challenge the Greens directly through Gormley but really aimed at Mary White.

[Fnarr-Fnarr]

Full list is up now.

Varadkar and Reilly straight onto the front bench with Enterprise and Health respectively.

[LIMARE]

Galway East and West, Clare, Tipperary North and South, Limerick East and West without represenatation on the front bench. 2002 seat count was 6 but returned this time with 10. Could this be the biggest geographical area missed out on in the reshuffle? Is Clare the only county without a front bencher in a neighbouring county? Good balance in the cabinet other than that.

[KingKane]

Yep the post has been updated to include the actual front bench, though the email to the members is still missing it, someone's fingers slipped I guess.

Finance & Deputy Leader Richard Bruton - the man is a class act and that it is the proper use of the term.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Michael Creed -

Art, Sport and Tourism Olivia Mitchell -

Children Alan Shatter - good choice a lot of this area involves the law and with the referendum coming up will have a need a forensic legal mind on it.

Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Simon Coveney - has done work on comms in the European Parliament, and was spokesperson on this area before I think

Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Michael Ring - should make the normally slothful O'Cuiv look even more lethargic than usual.

Defence Jimmy Deenihan - used to playing further up the field but will do a good job for the team

Education and Science Brian Hayes -

Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar - a big ask, but should be up to it. Also nicely counter intuitive to put him here.

Environment, Heritage and Local Govt. Phil Hogan - head to head with Gormley should be interesting

Foreign Affairs Billy Timmins - a calm head is needed for foreign affairs and I think that Billy had shown that in Defense, might not have gotten much attention and that he did get was for things he had not suggested.

Health James Reilly - a doctor up against Harney

Immigration and Integration Denis Naughten - should show up Conor Lenihan on a regular basis as this is an area that will have more and more press attention over the next few years.

Justice, Equality and Law Reform Charlie Flanagan - on the social democratic wing of the party if there is such a thing, and facing an ex Labour leader, and possible future leader of FF. Has the temperament to be considered and still get his point in succinctly.

Social and Family Affairs Olwyn Enright - up against Cullen, needs to show more ability, (I've been underwhelmed by her in education) there again she is up against Cullen so this could be a workout with a punchbag for her.
Transport and the Marine Fergus O’Dowd - impressed me during the course of the last Dail.

Chief Whip Paul Kehoe - whippy
Leader in the Seanad Frances Fitzgerald

[Dáiler]

Foreign Affairs Billy Timmins

Please tell me that this is a joke, while I accept that this is a bit like fantasy football for members of the opposition benches, really is this the best FG has to offer.

Hayes & Hanafin could be fun to watch, School mam Vs Best Boy

[davygee]

This is an inspired Fornt bench....it is great to see Leo being given something substantial on which to make a big impact...

The demotion of Olivia and Phil Hogan and the dropping of Bernard Allen were necessary and brave moves...

Olwyn and Simon fairly much staying as they were is appropriate to give them another chance...

Maybe should be more women (only 3 out of 18) and the lack of any rep from the mid-west and Donegal&Cavan/Monaghan as well as the commuter counties of Kildare & Meath is unfotunate but probably necessary given the lack of space...

[stretchneil]

Discussion on the declared front-bench ongoing here

[geraghd]

Galway East and West, Clare, Tipperary North and South, Limerick East and West without represenatation on the front bench. 2002 seat count was 6 but returned this time with 10. Could this be the biggest geographical area missed out on in the reshuffle? Is Clare the only county without a front bencher in a neighbouring county? Good balance in the cabinet other than that.

Well if the areas elected someone of substance to match the others they might get somewhere..
Perhaps Kenny went for merit over narrow geographical concerns?